Cortana may soon be ready to impart her knowledge onto iPhone, Android users

Cortana may soon be ready to lend her sagely knowledge and wisdom to users of non-Windows Phone platform. Microsoft could soon be ready to unleash Cortana, a digital voice assistant that debuted on Windows Phone, on to competing operating systems to take on the likes of Siri for iOS and Google Now on Android. Though specifics were not disclosed, Microsoft hinted at its plans to free Cortana soon.

According to a report on Business Insider, Microsoft chief experience officer Julie Larson-Green told a group of journalists and analysts that Cortana could be destined to land on other OSes.

When asked if that meant Cortana would eventually come to other operating systems, Larson-Green said, "The short answer is, yeah."

Likely, the experience of using Cortana on a system like iOS or Android would not be as rich or easy as it is on Windows Phone. Microsoft likely won't be able to tap into hardware keys to quickly call up Cortana as it does by a press of the search key on Windows Phone. The case is similar to Google Now for iOS, which requires iPhone users to launch the Google search app to call up Google's digital assistant versus a long press of the home key for the native Siri.

What do you think of iPhone and Android users potentially having access to Cortana in the future?

Update: Or as Rudy Huyn mentions, other OSes could imply Microsoft's own family rather than competing operating systems. In this case, Cortana could be headed to Windows or Xbox.

Reader comments

Cortana may soon be ready to impart her knowledge onto iPhone, Android users

Ms pls dont think like sorry... if so why cant google give its voice assistant and ios their siri...they all a titan blocks of each os...so they wont publish to other os....so Ms please keep cortana to Windows alone..its a windows prooduct...cortana is awesom AI...no words to say about her she is magnifico andsplendid.....pls dont give it to other stupid os...Cortana is symbolic representation of winows and windows phones..so dont ever do that...

It has been Five years since Windows Phone launched, and these five years, we are coming to find out that Microsoft will sell out if needed. They'll purchase a portion of Motorola Android, Samsung patents for Android, give away Skype, Office, Here Maps, and now Cortana, just so they can play neutral in a smart phone competition (yes, it is a competition for our money, after all, why do they keep providing upgrades). Yet, MSFT has no idea on how to increase the market share for Windows Phone, and neither will they go all out to entice developers. It's a shame.

Making Cortana cross-platform is a smart move. It will ultimately make it a much better assistant (perhaps eventually the best). Just think back to BBM and what it could have been had it gone cross-platform 5 years earlier.

It looks like Windows Phone is superfluous to Microsofts plan to sell its services. If Cortana is Ported to iOS and Android, Windows Phone will no longer offer any exclusive services to keep me onboard. Videogame console makers get it. Exclusive content sells hardware, not multiplatform content. Since Microsoft makes a console, they know this alsp. So if Cortana is ported, then it will be hard for Microsoft to prove any real commitment to the Windows Phone Platform.

That's it...I'm done with this s*it. First IOS8 gets a FREE and better Office experience than WP8.1 and now they will get Cortana before WP users in most parts around the world. I started with a 920 and was planning to get a 930, but now I'll just switch to an Iphone...it looks like you get the best of both worlds.
The free Office suite was a strong point for me when choosing a new phone, but now the WP Office just sucks. It doesn't even render docuents properly....shame on the Microsoft marketing/market strategies team....

Also, to people saying WP is bust. It is. It's going away, remember? Windows 10 is replacing it. The WP OS as we know it will change. Onto bigger and better things. Now if they'd just announce a 1020 successor.

This is great! I got tired waiting for a flag ship here in Canada seeing as we didn't get the 930/Icon ( I love that one). Anyways got an iPhone 6. Which I have to admit I'm loving, the hardware is buetiful. Anyways, if u look at my phone it's like it's running Windows Phone. Packed with Microsoft and one drive software which surprising works better on IOS. I have to admit one note for iOS is far superior to one note on WP. Anyways. If Microsoft comes out with a nice piece of hard wear and Windows phone 10 is as great as I think it could be. I'll switch back. But I have to admit I'm liking this iOS/Windows software integration and my app Eco system has quadrupled.

Think about it like this: Cortana is more than just Windows Phone. It really transcends a single OS. It's just too powerful to keep it relegated to that. Cortana has amazing potential and having it run across multiple platforms makes sense to me. It's life imitating art in a sense. It'll be a core feature of Windows eventually but made available to others if they wish. The idea, for MS, is to try to drive people to want to buy their products and software. Will it work? That's the question.

Dumb! Microsoft acts like they're in debt with these kinda decisions they make... My thing is to give Android and IOS users a test run for a very short time of Cortana and persuade them to come across to Microsoft to access it fully duhhhh!!! Smh bring in customers. This is something unique

So they will announce Cortana for iPhone/Android on day N, and then announce that they are exiting the mobile phone business on day N+1. Because if all the cool features for Windows Phone are also made available on iPhone and Android, why would anybody buy a Windows Phone?

If Cortana is on iPhone and Android, what unique feature is left on Windows Phone? Anyone? No need to raise your hand, just shout it out.

If iPhone or Android get Cortana before my Lumia Icon, I will take a sledgehammer to my Icon and post a YouTube video of it, just before I go get an iPhone 6.

I will no longer recommend a WP to anyone. All the reasons are now gone.
Android L fixes Android's UI problems, there is absolutely nothing WP is better than Android now.
I'll probably stick with WP myself due to habits already formed, but won't tell people to buy a WP instead of an Android device. There is nothing to recommend.

Microsoft is starting to mess up.. Every OS has something to make it unique.. If other OS's get to have everything that WP have so it doesn't make any sense to have a windowsphone.. I'm against what they are doing and I'm really not happy with it .. I like being different from iOS and Android.. I think eventually this will come to an end if MS keeps this work

Guys remember only one thing; Corporations care only for profit. Whoever creates better conditions for profit on a market share, this country or company first gets their services. Then don't care about final user so much. Only thing that's important is the colour of the money. And Microsoft is corporation, so...

I understand what you're trying to say and I agree with you, but also if people really understand corporal philosophy, they'll stop being so inthusiastic about making and spending time and their own money develepoing their apps unless they were directly founded (payed) from them. Becouse of one simple reason; They don't giva a rats ass about you as individual.Sad but true. Like I said. Their interest is only business and what business will get them. Only colour that counts is green... (MS could launch super smart flagship phones long time ago if they wanted and weren't under internal business agrement with their business partners, at the same time). This is unfortunately corporate America and capitalistic way of thinking. It's all about business...

I hope, really, I really hope that Microsoft has something up their sleeves for us Windows Phone users.

When I was a kid, I always understood that my parents would buy birthday presents for other kids when it was their birthdays, always knowing that they were saving their money to buy me the best they can when my birthday came around. They never spent more on another kid than they spent on me because I was their kid.

But when I look at OneNote and Office on the iPhone or (to a lesser extent) Android, I'm starting to think that the other kids are having an awful lot of birthday parties. Seeing Cortana going across the platforms makes me feel like I'm being a 'Dog In The Manger' when I wonder why we're being treated like we don't matter to Microsoft.

I really hope that I'm wrong and that Windows 10 for phones will address all these things. After all, Microsoft is getting pretty good at springing nice surprises.

Fucking idiotic Microsoft..betraying it's own customers and providing services to those competitors who do not provide even a single app on ms platform..they will know how it feels when a majority of Nokia Lumia loyalist will leave their platform who supported them through thick and thin..one piece of advice..ms grow up, before it gets too late..or else you will be down in the dumps and we your loyal customers won't be there for you anymore..
PS: Feeling utterly dissapointed and bitter today.

yeah is stupid still feeding to the enemy while they have done tatics , is absurd because this is not an perfect world and all their OS systems have their own exclusive apps, give office to android is ok they will not download it i heard in the market of android too many negative comments about it now giving Cortana to Android and IOS , is just not even fair , would we ask to google in the case if they give us as exchange google now in ther crappy search application of google now , by the way Here drive works as crap in android

If Microsoft do this it would be enough to make me walk away from the platform all together. I am in the UK and still on Beta Cortana and that is frustrating enough given all we seem to read about here is all the things she can do in the states. I have a 930 and 1020. I will keep the 1020 forever as a "day out" phone for the camera but that's it, day to day I would move to Android.

The fact that they are even considering this shows how out of touch they are, this is the kind of thing that Nokia would have done and look what happened to them!

I honestly can see the point in being on WP anymore, last to get office, last to no get cortana (Its still in beta if at all and their going to release it on other system) you honestly might as well close down windows phone and quit it dead the market share is going to rocket down. I for one will be leaving the o/s for good

She will not go to other platforms, but other versions of windows. Windows 10 is the unifying windows which will bring Cortana to phone, tablet, band, tv, Xbox, dildo etc. Stop being such whining beaches.

What a lame and stupid idea, if microsoft keep doing this kind of shit then soon I am moving to iOS

Dear Microsoft, Atlest keep 1 or 2 differences between Lumia nd Iphone , if they can also use cortana then why the hell i am using Lumia.
Think and act else loose your coustmer and you keep making stupid decisions.

F**k MS really! How stupid can you be? They say the app gap is closing but buy doing this they are expanding it even more I mean giving them cortana they have another extra app but in return we get nothing! We don't get siri or google now, we don't get gmail,youtube,google maps,google+

But MS gives them Here maps, Cortana, Office! Would not be surprised they give them Xbox Music also plus all Nokia's apps like cinemagraph, camera, storyteller etc..,

But I guess from now on I have no reasonto recommend WP anymore seeing we have no exclusives anymore

You know every week, there is some kind of Shocker Of The Week theme coming from MSFT. Which leads me to belive that their strategy is to be subtle about the fact that they are trying to convice base users that Windows is eroding. MSFT feels that without creating Emotional manipulation from it's base users that there is no reason to create a stronghold on it's hardware/software. You have to understand that these press releases are calculated months in advance before it is delivered to the tech media, so, there has to be a logic that they are playing out that they are really not coming forward to say.

But, at this standpoint, seeing how MSFT is giving out it's software to competitors, means that we should consider dropping MSFT, and going either Apple or Android, because MSFT has given up. They are clueless about how to gain marketshare without looking stupid in the process (ex. CNN fiasco, NFL fiasco, etc.). So, after my phone subsidy is paid, I will just leave the MFST platform, and start to invest in Apple. Apparantly, MSFT is going out of business.

As a potential switcher to wp, I understand the frustrations of the existing users. It's like looking up to and supporting your king/leader for a very long time but your king pushes all its effort to a different person. This can be forgiven though if the faithful WP users get a better experience. Like full windows experience (word, excel, ppt), etc. However, as a non-user ("yet") I understand that Microsoft sees a bigger picture that I don't see. Downgrading the experience to ios and android may be a bad move if they plan to do that. I would rather have Cortana available to other OS without her voice, than have her ending up as dumb as Siri. So, ios and android will have a fully functional but voiceless Cortana. WP users will have the cool, fully functional and always on, voiced Cortana.

I was waiting for the new Microsoft phone, but now knowing that Cortana is coming to iOS/Android. Those Microsoft Phone are ugly anyhow, they don't even have flagship phone now a day.

Great news! I won't feel guilty for jumping ship to Nexus6 or iPhone6 . They have Microsoft Office, Bing, OneDrive, OneNote, and now Cortana. Heck, life is good now WITHOUT Windows Mobile(soon to be called after Windows 10 released).

Edit* Even their UI is becoming more and more like Android(hambuger buttons).

Dats a bad move from Microsoft if its true.....but if da strategy is to give android users a taste for Cortana n den take it off from Android market den it might pay off... Android users will den won't mind to Try out WP

My phone is up for replacement in June, until a month ago WP was the only option. But with all good things going to ios and android I may be hurting myself to stick with WP. Especially local apps wise this will be a huge improvement, hell, the new iPhone may even have Cortana support for Dutch. Something I don't see happening with WP for a long time.

We got windows phone because Cortana is exclusive and amazing , I'm always convincing people to buy a Windows phone because of Cortana !!! And that happened just yesterday my friend bought a windows phone , what the hell are they thinking ?!!

Seriously if this is their plan, then Nadella might as well put the entire WP developement team on the chopping block. I was patiently waiting to see what real sucessor for my L920 would be released next year but this news has left a bitter taste in my mouth, and if they port the last remaining stand out feature of the WP platform on iOS and Android theres no point in waiting as Android gets the latest greatest hardware from OEMs and iOS will always have its following. Bellfiore was bragging just the other day how WP is a strong 3rd eco system but I can see this move not only alienating optimistic followers like myself but also the developers that put so much effort in making apps that has put the platform in said position. Will be watching this closely, if true blackberry i might be coming back.

here is something odd why Microsoft do not even give in their own operative system a premium experience and the basic to IOS-Android already that is doing noise to me , i wish full office even powerpoint and the same office experience than we can get on computer if they wish can do it, also will not get much microsoft with those things, because Android uses Google docs or another office software non microsoft made, also IOS uses their own too and mostly many do not se windows so they have no problems with the format o documents, i think that our friend satya need vacations of fresh breath because i do not know where is driving, if to a tree or in a right lane or in the rival lane

The problem is they are backing out of the hardware space. Balmer for all of his faults wanted to make ms a hardware company as well as a software company but the sad truth is the current CEO has no desire for hardware because at the end of the day they can throw away WP and we will still be using their services on our brand new apples and droids

Good guy Microsoft making it easier to switch to another platform. No seriuosly, i really hope what Rudy says in the update is true and they're talking about Desktop and Xbox. They getting cortana could be the last nail in the coffin.

The other day FOR THE FIRST TIME I managed to impress and iPhone user with my humble 520 by making correct NFL predictions.

First we'll lose the offline navigation maps exclusivity as here maps are developing apps for android and ios.. Then we'll lose cortana. Then what will people buy WP for?? It wont have any exclusivity!!!

I think this is an excellent strategy. I don't see WP making huge gains in market share in the coming years. Not that I have a crystal ball that helps me look into the future, it's just that we have seen where WP is after all these years despite closing the app gap. As someone who has been using this ecosystem since WP7 days, I would love to see WP grow. However, remember this is about market penetration. The more users there are, the more enhanced the learning will be for Cortana. A 4% market share does not augur well for Microsoft. While Cortana is a major selling point for WP, remember that there will also be a lot of users who will upgrade to Windows 10 on PCs and use Cortana and they would like to have that experience on their mobile devices having iOS and Android. We already know where the PC market share of Microsoft is at. Lets not bash Microsoft for this move and wait and watch what this move results in.

I assume that Cortana release for iOS and Android will also be region restricted? Or else, I'm very upset that I can't use Cortana but (all) my friends can (I live in backwater country with no abilities to speak English according to Microsoft).

Cortana is the feature which makes non Windows users to buy and do own a Windows phone!
If it gets available to other OS's , what makes others so different of they enjoy them without own a Windows phone? By this you're making your sales down for no reason !!!

I don't understand why people complain about this, MACs were complete lots until guess what? iTunes crap got into Windows! Yes, Windows version of iTunes made people think if iTunes ran better on MACs, why not get a expensive MAC better! Though I have to admit most Apple user in mass not only do not 'Think Different', but do not think much! Are WP user acting the same?

So WP's uniqueness is nothing more than start screen. Design language has already been compromised by MS in OneDrive app. Tiles are not smooth in their operations even after four years. No true successor of Lumia 920/925. I am wondering why we are still using WP. Is there any solid reason?

I've totally lost faith in Microsoft now! I understand why they think this is a good idea but I'm really starting to question why they bothered buying Nokia when every decision they've made lately I'd too the platforms detriment. I'm starting to think I should have learnt Objective C and not C# as they continually give IOS a helping hand. WP is fast loading every differentiator it had. I don't know what the other platforms have to offer as I've always used Nokia but that's gonna change especially after this last piece of bad news :(

its about bing brothers. it will increase its market share. think about that. Microsoft wants to win services and cloud. devices can be won later anytime when is you have a good ecosystem and services. if they wont do so Cortana wont grow and get a reputation

I don't understand we are doing the same,thing like I found a better product online at cheap deal,from amazon. Lol also reminding that google never provided google+, currents, YouTube, hangouts, etc yet. I don't know why we are always giving sweets and desserts everyday to them....

I'm guessing no one read the article earlier where Satya Nadella said that Microsoft isn't concerned with what product the customer is using they just want them to be using their services? Everyone needs to give up on their weird dream of WP being the dominant platform that everyone flocks too. That is not Microsoft's goal and as such they are not going to lock in cool and new features like Apple or Google would. If you enjoy WP, use it. If not, don't use it. But don't keep going on to these kinds of articles and have a pity party because your platform of choice isn't going to have ~insert unique feature here~ anymore. Yea.... I think that's it. /end anti-rant for now

Hopefully they just mean other MS Operating Systems, and not iPhone or Andoird. Otherwise, its like they are not just supporting WP poorly, but actively trying to destroy it. Go ahead fanboys, defend your boy.

it may sound a bit dumb for microsoft to do this, but remember that this is how Google gained most of market share by making their apps available to everyone. MIcrosoft is playing the same game, and apple is losing ground by making everything exclusive to iphone

WE already know that Cortana is coming to Windows 10 and to Xbox One. That's not big news.

It would be a big deal if it came to Android and iOS of course. Will it? Look at it this way. Did Microsoft hold onto to its touch friendly versions of Office for Android and iOS until the version of Windows came out? No. Ballmer's "first and best on Windows" just isn't out Nadella's Microsoft operates.

So many rants again. Don't forget what Satya told the public before; Microsoft will be focusing on its mobile and cloud SERVICES. Hoarding their services won't do them any good either, especially in this issue, since Cortana will be integrated into Windows 10. Not every people who have Windows as desktop OS have Windows Phone as mobile OS. In fact, WP may be a minority compared to iOS and Android.

For a real-life example, I am using Firefox (and IE) as a desktop browser and Bing as my search engine. So on my Android phone (which is secondary, btw), I ditched Google search, Google Now and even Chrome for mobile. I use Firefox's mobile app and Bing mobile app, since AFAIK, IE is integrated into Android's Bing.

msft made beautiful bing apps for ios and android. i wonder how many people they won over. i'm guessing very few. one of the reasons so many people use ios and android is necause of the ecosystem. people like using first party devices and services. so i think the msdt is a services and software company logic is flawed. if you offer a service as basic as msft office, thats one thing; but more minor services need to either be offering something unique (not simply an alternative assistant, for example) or be a part of an ecosystem experience.

i think msft needs to continue building out its devices and continue to build up its software on those platforms. offering office on ios and android makes sense...cortana, not so much as far as i can tell.

WOW! People are b*tching here. It's not about getting people to switch to Windows Phone, it's about getting people to use Microsoft services.

Is Cortana really the differentiator for all you guys to have a Windows Phone? Personally I'd love more people to use Cortana, if implemented well this will improve how people see Microsoft. It's also a great strategy to attack Google, particularly now Apple and Microsoft are already collaborating.

Loving my Windows Phone and sticking with it even if Cortana is available elsewhere.

i have tested the office in android is exactly the same than is on windows pjhone , so there is not an advantage, also here maps on android is an wreck, i have installed in an tablet HP slate7+ and never pick up gps signal and when pick an signal start driving alone and even i am not in motion, so here maps for Android is a wreck , do not work as does in the version for windows phone althought i wish they add some things that found in android like watch the route to follow in instructions and HI-FI voices , i think that Cortana would be avalaible on Windows 10 and 9 also, but on Android if were released would be an abandonedware as happens with ONx on Android an total abandonware. , cortana in windows is itself within windows. if is added as an application would just work the voice and frontend but the reminders etc would not, that need further integration with IOS or Android which is not possible.

Something tells me all the staff in Microsoft either use an iphone or an android os phone. Screw you Microsoft! Why bother making a mobile platform when all you care for is iOS. Just go and kiss iOS's bottom! My next phone will definitely not be a windows phone anymore! Utterly disappointed. Going to advise all my friends to stay away from windows too.

I legitimately and truly understand why this is happening (with Cortana and other services) but MS really needs to make a case for using this stuff on Windows native devices. I also understand why it can't be broken on other platforms (it has to work smoothly for people to care in the first place) but it needs to be better, smoother, faster, more integrated, fuller-featured WHATEVER on MICROSOFT HARDWARE (or at least Windows platforms). Crossing my fingers that Windows 10 brings this all to fruition (along with a new high-end flaghip phone) but damn, give me a reason to have bought all of your stuff MS.

There is a sad possibility . I think they are doing this in case windows phone becomes too much of a strain on their check book. This is starting to feel like a contingency plan in case WP fails. They can continue to improve services for android/IOS and testing it on WP. IF they loose too much on WP, if all their services are ported over, they can just axe the support. Even buying out the ONLY real OEM for Windows so they don't have to deal with them stopping. Now they can just pull the plug. Don't get too attached. MS is good at making stupid decisions.

I think Microsoft has used Android and iPhone users as beta testers for the office mobile suite on windows 10. They will make sure everything is good and or better on their own platforms/ hardware. So we hope....

I used to get upset at MS software getting to other OSes at all - or even first. However, maybe MS approach is more Borg than market disruption. That is, assimilate iOS and Android users into inadvertent MS users rather than trying to get them to overhaul their devices. Smart move, in my opinion!

iOS, Android have everything that WP has. WP is missing alot of stuffs which are available on iOS or Android. Microsoft own apps work and look better on iOS, and Anrdoid. Also they mostly get released even before WP platform.

If Microsoft doesn't even care about their own platform, why should the users care? ...

MS is making it harder and harder to justify their phrase "#timetoswitch". Why should I if they're just gonna give off all their killer features to other platforms for essentially no reason? A year ago, I had plenty of reasons to religiously defend WP. Now, I wonder why I'm still hanging onto the WP thread when clearly MS let go a long time ago.

Well i do understand about cross platform support ! But they should consider about WP and MS products first or atleast consider about WP lovers ..WP platform has been updated true and agreed ! still there are tons of new features that has to be added and lot more bugs has to be squashed ..."my l1520 used to last all day with a single charge with wifi on and hours of calling with wp8..after wp8.1 update the battery has started draining quikly" with probs like this still existing ..what in the world are they working on ??? ! As well many wp apps like music,video,office,skype,lockscreen...etc has to be upgraded and polished ! Instead of spending time and resources on other platforms they should work more with WP ! As a True WP lover this news doesn't make me happy a bit !!